Garlic is a plant related to onion and is popular in hundreds of states around the world. The garlic bulbs that can generally be bought in stores are entirely dried. The bulbs can also be further dried by cutting them into small pieces or grinding them into powder. Garlic grown, harvested and dried at home, can be fresher and tastier than the varieties you buy in stores.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Harvesting the Garlic for Drying
Step 1. There are specific varieties of garlic that are more suitable for drying and storage
In North America they are the "creole" and the "silverskin". Other cultivars, on the other hand, lose their richness of flavor once they are dried.
Step 2. Remove the garlic from the earth when the latter is dry
Avoid watering for a few days before harvesting.
Step 3. Dry the garlic with the stem, roots and leaves still attached
The garlic you buy in stores has already undergone this type of drying through several months of storage in a cool and dry place. Cloves of garlic can be used to make minced or powdered garlic.
Step 4. Do not wash the garlic seedlings once you have harvested them
This would make them more difficult to dry and may cause mold. Once you have removed the different layers of skin, any residual dirt will no longer be a problem.
Method 2 of 3: Store the Garlic Bulbs
Step 1. Remove the garlic from the earth when the garlic has reached full ripeness
Step 2. The place to store the garlic must be cool, shaded and well ventilated
The chosen place should have a temperature above 10 ° C. Shady places outdoors are the best because the circulation of air decreases the storage time.
Step 3. Spread the garlic seedlings to dry, arranging them in a single layer
You can also weave them together when the stems are still soft and then hang them together in a single braid.
Step 4. Let the garlic dry for one to two months
The leaves should turn brown and paper-like in texture, while the roots should become hard and shriveled.
Step 5. Cut the roots about 0.6 cm from the base of the garlic bulb
Step 6. Cut the stem about 2.5 cm from the tip of the wedge
Peel the garlic, without however exaggerating towards the bulb, or you would risk exposing the clove to the outside, and thus be forced to use it immediately.
Step 7. Put the garlic bulbs in a cool and dry place, for example in a cupboard
Keep a temperature between 13 ° C and 18 ° C and never put the garlic in the sun.
- If you are in a place where the humidity is higher than 65%, you may have to dry the garlic with the method that we will explain below and then freeze it. Too moist garlic will produce mold.
- You can also put the garlic in fishnet bags or women's tights, as long as the place is shady and dry.
Method 3 of 3: Dry the minced garlic
Step 1. Choose the garlic cloves you want to chop or powder
Avoid using wedges that have bruised.
Step 2. Peel the garlic cloves
Remove the cuticles.
Step 3. Put the garlic cloves in a blender and blend two or three times
If you prefer sliced garlic, cut it by hand with a sharp knife.
Step 4. Spread the garlic on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper if you intend to dry it in the oven
Make sure the oven is set to a low temperature, below 90 ° C.
Step 5. Optionally choose to use a dryer
You can set it to the optimum temperature of 45 ° C. Use larger garlic slices if your dryer is one made with pitted grids.
Step 6. Let the garlic dry for 36-48 hours
The higher the temperature, the shorter the drying time. However, to prevent it from becoming gummy, it is best to dry the garlic at 45 ° C for two days.
Step 7. Choose the method by which to store the garlic
There are in fact several ways in which you can store garlic once it has dried.
- Put the slices or small pieces of garlic in a vacuum container and freeze them. The garlic will keep like this for a year. Grind the pieces in an old coffee grinder before using them.
- Store the dried garlic chunks in a vacuum container in your kitchen. You can store garlic at room temperature for several months, as long as it is away from sunlight and sources of intense heat.
- Grind the garlic pieces immediately after they have cooled down. Use an old coffee grinder. Then, pass the ground garlic through a fine mesh sieve to separate the powder from the remaining pieces. You can keep the powder for about two months and use it with recipes that call for garlic powder.
